The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter released on Tuesday that it was likely to seek advice from outside experts to help determine whether energy drinks posed particular risks to teenagers or people with underlying health problems. The letter appears to signal a change in the agency’s approach to the drinks, which contain high levels of caffeine. (New York Times)

Texas State Rep. Carol Alvarado is once again pushing to ban soda in Texas public schools. The Houston Democrat is also seeking to ban sports drinks and other sweetened beverages, but would allow schools to sell or distribute 100-percent vegetable or fruit juice, vitamin-enhanced water, water without sweeteners and milk with a fat content of 1 percent or less. (Huffington Post)

Coca-Cola will be named Creative Marketer of the Year at the 2013 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the first time the company has been honored with the top client award despite taking home 100 Lions over nearly five decades. In 2012, the soft-drinks giant enjoyed its most-successful year at the Cannes festival, winning a total of 30 Lions, including the Outdoor Grand Prix for "Coke Hands" by Ogilvy Shanghai. (Ad Age)

The rich heritage of Scotch Whisky, Scotland’s national drink, is explored in a major exhibition opening at The Scottish Parliament today (Nov. 29). Visitors will have the chance to see an array of images and artefacts collected from Scotch Whisky producers and enthusiasts, many on public display for the first time. The Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass exhibition in the Main Hall of The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh marks the Centenary of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the industry trade body. Every aspect of the Scotch Whisky industry unfolds through words and images. The exhibition, which is free to visit, takes people on a journey through the distilling, coopering, maturing, bottling, labelling, enjoying, marketing and exporting of Scotch Whisky.

Mims Distributing Company (Raleigh, N.C.) a beer distributor that services a nine-county area in central North Carolina, is celebrating its 10th anniversary of bringing America’s oldest brewery, Yuengling, to central North Carolina. Established in Pennsylvania in 1829, Yuengling is the largest American-owned brewery, based on recent sales. Despite overwhelming demand, the regional brewery serves only 15 states exclusively, having made its transition into central North Carolina in 2002 with Mims. Probably most well-known for its traditional lager, Yuengling’s product line includes a light lager, black and tan, premium, porter, Oktoberfest and bock.

Belvedere Vodka has launched a limited-edition bottle to mark the second year of its partnership with AIDS charity Red. The translucent metallic bottle has been released in time for World AIDS Day on December 1. It has an rrp of £34.50 (US$55) and half the profits go to Red’s global fund to fight HIV and AIDS. (Off-Licence News)